Father Marino Regan, an Italian, has received honorary citizenship for his selfless contribution towards the people of Bangladesh.
Marino, born in 1925, now residing in Shelabunia village near the Sundarbans is mostly acclaimed for translating Bengali literary works into Italian, actively helping the war trodden people during the Liberation War in 1971.
His laudable Italian translations include Rabindranath Tagore's "Gitanjoli", 350 songs of Lalon Shah, "Nakhshi Kathar Math" and "Sojon Badiar Ghat" of Jasimuddin, said a press release yesterday.
Marino arrived in Bangladesh in the 50s as a missionary delegate and since then became actively engaged in many development activities including those towards educational emancipation of people irrespective of caste and creed.
He helped to set up 17 educational institutions in the southern region of the country. Thousands of poor students are directly benefiting from his sponsorship programmes.
Marino led cultural delegates of Bangladesh to Italy many a time. With his aide, Arin Haque received first place in the International Singing competition in 1987 by rendering Tagore's "Amra Sobai Raja."
Kazi Nazrul Islam, Amartya Sen, Valori Tailor and Gordon Grinich are the others who received such accreditation of citizenship.
Father Marino is very much willing to have his burial in Bangladesh.